PDAStreet: News: OQO Micro PC Makes Retail Debut

Micro PC vendor OQO's handheld-sized Windows XP computer, the model 01+, is soon going to be available at retail for the first time, just in time for the holiday season. However, you'll only be able to get the pricy stocking stuffer at single store, RCS Experience, located in New York City.

Sure, that doesn't sound like much of an entrance into a new sales channel, but OQO asserts the move marks a strategic expansion for the company, which previously only sold its wares online.

Located on Madison Avenue, 300,000 people enter RCS Experience each month. The store is supposed to be known for creating environments that demonstrate how "devices" will interact with each other. Its clientele includes early adopters, business consumers, and the mobile professional.

"As this is a new kind of mobile computing that most users have not experienced, customers want to touch, feel, experience, and understand the productivity, portability, and functionality that the model 01+ offers," said OQO senior VP Bob Rosin. "OQO is excited about diversifying its sales channels with retail presence and could not have chosen a better forum than RCS Experience to kick off this program."

The OQO model+ measures a mere 4.9 x 3.4 x .9 inches and weighs 14 ounces. It comes with 512 MB of RAM, a shock-mounted 30 GB hard disk, in addition to USB 2.0, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and FireWire connectivity.

There's also a 1 GHz processor, 800 x 480 pixel WVGA 5-inch display, 3D accelerated graphics with 8MB video RAM, a QWERTY thumb keyboard with mouse buttons and TrackStik, a 3.5mm stereo headphone jack, microphone, and a removable lithium polymer battery for up to a three hours of power on a single charge.

Bundled accessories include a new universal power supply with auto and air adapter desktop stand, digital pen, carrying sleeve and a docking cable.

A Windows XP Tablet Edition of the model 01+ goes for $1,399, a Windows XP Professional version for $1,299, and one running Windows XP Home for $1,199. The addition of Microsoft Office 2003 Small Business Edition costs an extra $300.

For more on the model 01+, see our review.